Hellboy II: The Golden Army

Guillermo del Toro returned to the director's chair for this 2008 sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army, a fantasy action film that expands the scope of its comic book origins. Ron Perlman reprises his role as the gruff, cigar-chomping demon Hellboy, joined by Selma Blair as Liz Sherman and Doug Jones as Abe Sapien. The story pits Hellboy against Prince Nuada, played by Luke Goss, an elven prince determined to reclaim Earth for magical creatures. With a budget of $85 million, the film earned over $160 million worldwide, outperforming its predecessor. Danny Elfman's score and Guillermo Navarro's cinematography give the movie a rich, operatic feel. Part of the Hellboy franchise, it received generally positive reviews for its visual creativity and character development, though some found the plot less cohesive than the original.[edit]

Centuries ago, a war between humans and magical creatures ended with a truce sealed by a crown that controls the Golden Army, an indestructible mechanical force. In present-day New York, Hellboy, a demon raised by the BPRD, grapples with his dual nature while living a secret life. His girlfriend Liz Sherman wants a normal existence, but Hellboy's antics complicate things.

Prince Nuada, an elven prince disgusted by humanity's encroachment, returns from exile to reclaim the crown. He kills his father the king and steals the crown's three pieces. Hellboy and his team, including the psychic fish-man Abe Sapien and the ectoplasmic Johann Krauss, pursue Nuada through a hidden troll market and an enchanted forest. Nuada's twin sister, Princess Nuala, who holds the third piece of the crown, allies with the BPRD, forming a telepathic bond with Abe.

The team learns that if the crown is assembled and the Golden Army awakened, only the blood of the royal line can command it. Nuada forces Nuala to give up her piece, then activates the army. Hellboy, torn between his demonic heritage and his loyalty to humans, must stop the army before it destroys civilization. The climax takes place atop a half-built skyscraper, where Hellboy fights Nuada while the Golden Army marches through the city.[edit]